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Despite the loss, encouraging performance. This is why you have to take points from Georgia and Kosovo though

If this is JVS vision of this team then I’m sold, beautiful football with high pressure. Our speed and pressure is causing Sweden to panic and make bad passes.

Boys this is the best soccer I’ve seen this team play in years

Is this the best 25 minutes we have played since 2014?

Yeah i don't think we will be dominant in possession this match against a good team like Sweden and also being away in their home. We will get our chances though, and hopefully we make the most of them. The story of this qualification campaign for us is missed chances and poor striking. We have lost games that we have dominated. We are really missing a true high volume striker like Gekas was or Mitro was. They got us to our two most recent appearances.

It's unlikely we see a change in formation, I don't think JVS will go away from the shape that has given us 2 wins in our last 2 games. The only change I can see is Stafylidis for the suspended Tzavellas, which is a little concerning but hopefully with 2 other CB's next to him he'll be okay. We could also see a change to the attacking duo, Douvikas maybe to partner Pavlidis again? But I think he'll stick with Masouras playing off Pavlidis. The Swedes are a good team, especially up front. Plenty of firepower from their wingers and strikers. They will get chances as they did in Greece, we need our defence to have a big game and similarly Vlachodimos to have a good game. It's nice to be in the qualification picture this late in proceedings, no matter the result we are still mathematically alive going into the final 2 games. Let's how we go.

Sweden with 1.5 chances wins the game 2:0. Two silly defensive mistakes decided the winner of the game. In the end it will be the two best teams that will finish top 2 in this group. Our national team still needs a lot of improvement in order to be competitive on that level.

Look fellas, if you told me coming in when we saw this group that we would beat Sweden at home, lose in Sweden AND get at least one point against Spain, I would take it, as would most of you I suspect. Georgia and Kosovo, though, gotta be 4 wins there. Bottom line. We put ourselves in a tough position for no reason.

All in all as people have said, lost it from other results. But this was encouraging. Seems like we came out the 2nd half a little timid too. Oh well, let’s end strong and try and get a result against Spain and beat Kosovo and get ready for next edition of nations league

He hit the crossbar. Lol .

imagine bullying Sweden at home in front of a packed stadium but having trouble with Georgia at home

True but fark re I want to win.

BEST half I’ve seen Greece play in many years!

When was the last time anyone said that about Greece??

0-0 HT. Should be 0-2. We are playing beautiful attacking football

7 shots in 40 minutes. We seriously look like a top 10 team in the world so far.

They play well at home Kosovo played them much closer than the 3nil scoreline. They had a goal called back with Sweden up 1-0. We know Greece can show up vs the “bigger” countries and I think we will see that heart tomorrow. Also I heard Kulesveski is out due to suspension.

This is going to be a much different game then we saw in Athens, the Swedes are great at home and they will be playing in a full stadium. A win is a must even though a draw we are mathematically still alive realistically anything but a win and it’s over but let’s see now as the underdogs which I prefer if we can keep a clean sheet and find a goal off a counter. An early goal would be huge and it would out the pressure on the Swedes.

Guys this was the best f***ing first half of soccer we’ve have played in years and we have all been advocating for a change in style of our traditional sitting back and forcing a counter and getting one or two chances a game. Like this is something we can build on, Sweden looked like a minnow in that first half and I truly believe if that penalty never occurred we win this game, we were shredding the Swedes they were hanging on and couldn’t even string two passes together as we were all over them. I criticized JVS after the Georgia and Kosovo games but man i’m giving him full marks tonight and I don’t care if thats an unpopular opinion in this forum. We keep saying myself included he’s fielding the wrong line up but honestly we don’t have a superstar scorer anywhere so he’s getting the guys to play as a team with speed and high pressure. I’ve been so negative about this team since after 2014 World Cup but this to me is a step in the right direction. We split with Sweden and we already took a point in Spain. I will tell you guys straight I would rather lose games playing like the way we did today than sitting back and watching the most boring lackadaisical soccer waiting for an opening to make a mistake so we can get one or two chances in the entire game. Also a healthy Fortounis will help us Immensely.

Last thing we need is ANOTHER freaking coaching change

Everyone can talk up bakasetas and pavlidis but if we want to be in these tournaments players like them can’t be starting. Fortounis is 10X tye player bakasetas and pavlidis offers nothing. He needs 3 big scoring chances to score 1 goal, misses breakaways, can’t hold the ball up. Shambles

Tough loss. Really gutted for the team, players and coach. Players put in 100% but 2 errors cost us. Dropping 4 points to Georgia Kosovo cost us. Chances are now slim, as we will have to beat Spain and Kosovo and hope that other results go our way.

Looking back I miss manolas and socratis..

Yes. This is what a lot of people don’t understand. Masouras wouldn’t have space to run behind their defenders cause they’d have 5-6 players back. You can’t find a lot of space against teams that sit all the way back.

Those weaker teams park the bus they don’t give any space because they don’t chase so a team like Greece will struggle to find space and open them up.

I’m not saying it wasn’t important. It was. But to say it was an easy miss is wrong in my opinion. To say that it was easier to score than to miss is my opinion of that chance. But it’s all mute now.

He had a free header, no challenge, 5 metres out. It's as easy as it gets at this level. If you don't understand the importance of scoring that goal take a look at the scoreline.

You can’t squander your chances. Pavlidis is a bench player at best. The coach blew this game starting him again after taking him out at half time last game.

So now We need Spain to lose or draw against Sweden and we need to beat Spain and Kosovo. Not happening but that’s what it comes down to now.

At least we know we are capable of playing like that, why we don't is beyond me..

Sweden have just capitalized on our stupidity

Greece didn't deserve to qualify in the first place Dropping points to Georgia and Kosovo undo us. Both Spain and Sweden had no issues getting it done.

i said imagine lol 😉

Our passing and movement was incredible that half. We just need that goal.

KEEP THE SAME ENERGY GREECE!

I don't ever remember seeing the opposing goalie so frustrated...

Sweden is so lucky not to be down so far as this game could have been 3-0 for us so far.

Pavlidis, OFF THE POST! Here's Masouras! Save Olsen! Bicycle kick for Giannoulis, WIDE!

Masouras so far the man of the match. He brings tremendous energy.

He seems to be free alot today..

Hell ya!

I don't remember a Greek team so fast, we have been closing down spaces quickly and breaking even quicker...

The game has slowed down - 50/50 now

Greece must defeat Spain if this match finishes with a draw.

I'm pumped man! HUGE game today! Come on boys!!!

Vlachodimos, Chatzidiakos, Mavropanos, Tsimikas, Giannoulis, Androutsos, Bouchalakis, Siopis, Bakasetas, Masouras and Pavlidis

If only we had a classic #9 like Mitroglou was we would probably be leading the group. His finishing was incredible especially during that qualification run to the 2014 World Cup. Gekas was a goal poacher as well.

I think JVS will play it tight to start just sit back and limit there attack and will wait for a good counter attack or set piece to get a goal. Hopefully we score first again as we did in Athens then the Swedes will really bring a lot of men forward to equalize and I could se us hitting them on the counter, especially with Tzolis pace he gave them fits last match. In that case I can see Greece scoring 2 goals and remember we should have had 3 goals last time if not for Vrousai miss in close and Bouchalakis header that just missed the target. It will be a nerve racking game but like you said at least we are still in it with three games left to go.

I waited long to see the results of the effort. Havent posted since be fore the match vs Spain. Team is really growing better and better mentally. We are not good at winning all the time (Kosovo and Georgia wins would have us top spot in the Group tied with Spain and above Sweden. I like the effort regardless of the result of the campaign. We need to accept the fact that winning Sweden in our current state is an unexpected excellent result, same as the draw vs Spain in the Summer. Even if we dont win Sweden we ve been as competitive and good at the offensive part as we ve not been since 2014 and before. Mediocre players with a good plan is my take.